Mystery of Strider
by Cactuslotus
Summary: Three things are known; Bro leaves often on business trips, you are now sixteen, and things aren't as they seem. What does Bro even do? What happened? And why the hell is Cal following you! (Warning, dark material in later chapters)
1. Chapter 1

It has been two days and still no sign of Bro. You seriously don't get what he does half the time, You mean seriously. At least Cal isn't on the counter- WRONG! Stupid creepy puppet, watching with those stupid blue eyes... and there are smuppets in the microwave again. It's times like these that you bust out aj and just go to your room.  
You wish your back would stop hurting. It's not a usual kind of back pain, but like someone is stabbing all over your back with a rusty screwdriver. If that wasn't bad enough, it started up just as Bro had left and has only gotten worse. As much as checking your back in the mirror might help, your apartment has no mirrors. You hadn't seen a mirror until you were five at school, and even then you still didn't see them that often.  
You are now turning sixteen and several things are happening;  
1- Your friends are messaging  
2- Bro is still gone  
3- You feel like you were hit by two buses, cause just one wouldn't hurt this bad  
4- You still have school tomorrow  
And 5- No more apple juice.  
The last one could be covered in moments since there was a convince store down the street, but you know Cal holds onto you when you leave when Bro isn't around. It doesn't make sense, but Cal seems alive sometimes, even so far as ending up in your backpack when you know even Bro leaves your school stuff alone. You needed aj, and Cal would follow you, so you actually decided to bring the little guy with you no matter how creepy he was, because finding him following you would be creepier. You swear his arms actually hold on when you toss him on your shoulder.  
The convince store was a simple trip down to the end of the block, across the street, and through the trash lot. Bro said to walk around the lot, but that takes forever. John is waiting out front. "Hi Dave!"  
"Sup."  
"You remembered your movie, right?"  
"No it's hiding at the lot."  
"So, it's on a flash drive?"  
"You know me so well."  
"Then how about you come with me now to movie night instead of showing up twenty minutes late like usual?"  
"My plan exactly." No planning. Good thing you did your homework. John laughed, but he decided to walk with you on the long trip to Rose's house. He actually had a bike with him, and after remembering the huge slope down near Rose's house you had an idea. "Hey Egbert, ever been early?"  
"No, why?"  
"We could ride your bike down the slope and be there in a minute."  
"The bike has one seat, what are you going to do? Ride in the basket?"  
"I could fit."  
"No way. I bet an apple juice at school tomorrow on it."  
"You just awakened the might force that is a Strider. Watch and learn." The basket on the bike wasn't very big, but it was strong and held, even when you sat in it. "You owe me apple juice."  
John was laughing so hard he almost let go of the bike. "You win. Now let's go!" John had hopped on, pushing them forward so they rolled a moment before rocketing down the slope. The bike went down the slope and well down the street before eventually stopping a few feet from Rose's house, toppling over on the sidewalk. You felt completely in pain, but hopped up acting like it was nothing. John was already up and you both headed for the door.  
Rose was unimpressed with their antics. "You came early? Come in, I'll get the first aid kit." Rose walked past Jade, who you knew was always ten minutes earlier than John, continuing to lead you to to the bathroom. She pulled out a first aid kit, patching up the two of you. "Although I appreciate you not being late, refrain from crashing next time."  
The night went normally the first to movies, but then your life had to show up. You suddenly felt like you were being clawed apart and set on fire. You casually walk to the bathroom before promptly locking the door. You shirt came off and you tried seeing your back in the mirror. You looked fine, but something was wrong. Suddenly you were on your knees, gritting your teeth as you bit back swears. You couldn't see what was going on, but it felt like someone hacked in your back. No one was in the bathroom but you, so that wasn't it.  
The pain kept getting worse and worse, eventually to the point you couldn't even stay on your knees, instead laying on the floor. Slowly the pain faded and disappeared, leaving you exhausted and nerve wraked. Breaths were labored, painful. As breathing returned to normal you stood up only to spot what had happened.  
Two large wings were sprouting from your back, almost angelic looking. Moving the wings was second nature, simple as breathing. This made no sense. You had seen Bro without a shirt and your over 9000% sure you would have remembered seeing wings.  
Pounding sounded on the door. "Dave? You've been in there quiet some time, are you alright?"  
"Define 'some time'."  
"Twenty-five minutes. We finished the movie."  
You try putting your shirt on. Your wings still show. "I'm alright. Give me five more minutes."  
"Daaaave! I have to pee!" Jade sounded.  
"Isn't there another bathroom in this house?"  
"Not that she can use." Rose stated. Your sensitive new wings rubbing against the fabric feels like sandpaper, and since it didn't hide your wings you take it off. Rose knocked on the door again," Dave, I'm unlocking the door."  
"Don't open the door!" You are no holding the door shut, eyes scanning the room for something, but the only thing you can find is the shower curtain. You hide behind the curtain just as Rose unlocks the door.  
"Dave? I know your in the shower. Please get out."  
"No can do."  
"Why is your shirt on the ground?"  
"Must be your shirt."  
"There is a broken record on it."  
"You have a good taste in shirts."  
"Dave, get out."  
"I'm busy."  
"Busy being silly. Now get out." Rose pulled open the shower curtain. None of your friends looked like they were expecting this, but then again neither were you. "Dave... is there a reason you have wings?"  
"I just do?" Rose took a step closer, looking at the feathers closely. "Rose? Some space?"  
"Sorry, I'm just interested. I don't remember you having wings."  
"That's because they just appeared, say twenty minutes ago? Around that time."  
"Are you alright?"  
"Yeah, it's not like I grew wings or anything."  
"So, what are you?"  
"Hell, like I know. I didn't even know this would happen." Rose grabbed your hand and lead the way over to the couch, John and Jade following behind. Your wings felt weird in the open air, out of place. "Is there a reason you're dragging me to your couch?"  
"You can't hide in the bathroom."  
"What if your mom sees me?"  
"She's out drinking. If she comes home, she will think you are some alcohol induced dream." Rose went back over to her spot.  
"That's so cool Dave! Your wings kinda look like a baby chicks though." Jade sat next to Dave.  
"Didn't you need the bathroom?"  
"No, we just wanted to make sure you weren't being stupid."  
"Oh really?"  
"I almost thought you were taking selfies when I saw the shirt."  
"You're never letting me live that down, are you?"  
"Nope!" Jade laughed.  
Rose was still staring at your wings, in fact she had moved closer. "Something isn't quite right here. Does Bro have wings?"  
"No, why?"  
Rose pulled out her gigantic book, flipping through. "I'm not finding creatures along these guides that aren't dangerous. With how often Bro is missing at times, he could in fact be something extremely dangerous, which leads back to if he even knows."  
"Like a sparkly vampire?"  
"Unless they have wings, no. But something along those lines."  
The room fell silent. "Can we please go back to watching movies? What was next, Con Air?" You put in the movie before sitting back down.  
"Dave?" John asked, sitting down next to you," You left your shirt in the bathroom." He handed to you. The rest of movie night was pretty normal, even the walk home. You were so distracted you almost forgot Cal was holding on to you. What did Bro do on his trips?


	2. Chapter 2

You wake up to your aching wings screaming at you for sleeping on them. That was a thing now along with not wanting to shove your wings in your shirt because it felt weird. Then again, having wings was weird, so you were at a loss as to what to do. The clock read 7:32, so you had to get up if you were to get to school on time.  
You stretch your wings before tossing on a shirt and using your phone to check your appearance. Shirts suck at hiding wings. You look around your room, remembering there are bandages in the bathroom. You walk into the bathroom, close the door and start tiring down your wings. The bandages felt horrible, but you eventually tied down your wings enough that they weren't noticeable through your shirt. As soon as you step out, you trip on Cal.  
"Sup lil' man." Bro was at the table eating ramen.  
"When did you get back?"  
"Today, now eat breakfast." Bro pushed over a bowl of cereal before continuing to read his weird book.  
Cal was hugging your neck again. "Go away." It took forever to pry him off. As soon as you went back to your cereal Cal was back.  
"Anything go down while I was gone?" Bro asked.  
"Nope." You tossed Cal again, trying to finish your cereal.  
"Oh really? I was gone for three days, something must have happened."  
"School, which I'm going to be late to if I don't leave." You stand up, grab your backpack and race down the hall. You jump the stair railing and land lightly at the bottom before going down the street. You catch up to the bus in time to get on, sitting down next to John. "Sup Egbert?"  
"You almost didn't make it!" John put his PDA away.  
"Bro came back and Cal wouldn't go away."  
"Did he find out?"  
"No, I left."  
"Oh." The bus hit a bump, the seat backing smacking roughly into your wings. This had to be the longest bus ride of your life. "You alright there Dave?"  
"I feel peachy." Your wings ached and you still had school

Lunch finally showed up, taking agonizingly long to appear. No wonder people ditched. "Sup guys. We having fun yet?"  
"Yes, all laughter and kittens today." Rose commented as she continued reading through her book.  
"I have late homework." John was trying to eat lunch and write at the same time.  
"What? Perfect straight A, pocket protecting John forgot his homework?" You say in fake shock before continuing with lunch.  
"I stayed up late talking to Jade."  
"Where is she anyway?"  
"Right here!" Jade hugged you, which hurt like hell. The bandages were rubbing into your feathers and your wings itched and ached. "Are you alright?"  
"Yeah."  
"You sounded like someone stabbed you."  
"Just stop hugging me."  
"Sorry Dave!" Jade stopped hugging you and started eating her lunch. "Um, Dave?"  
"Yes?"  
"Feathers fell out of your shirt." You look down to find several yellow-white feathers around you, another floating to the ground.  
"Shit." You run for the bathroom, as soon as you were in you checked to make sure no one was inside before pulling up your shirt. Your wings looked pathetic covered in bandages. The door opened and John stepped in, you could hear Jade arguing with someone a moment before the door closed. "What is it Egbert?"  
"I'm making sure your okay. Quick, in the handicap stall! Jade can't hold Karkat off forever." John pulled you into the stall before closing it. "Are your wings okay? Do they hurt?"  
"No, I'm having the best day ever. Wings are so easy to care for." Your wings felt horrible. You've had these things for a day and they're already trying to kill you.  
"How did you tie them down?"  
"Bandages."  
"Dave! That can't be healthy. How about I take the bandages off and make sure you didn't hurt yourself?" John looked concerned.  
"Fine." You pulled your shirt off, noticing John's sad face. He unwrapped the bandages quickly and a soon as you felt the last one come off you unfurled your wings as wide as the stall allowed, noticing more feathers fall.  
"Dave hold still!" John's eyes scanned over your wings. "You're fine, but I don't understand."  
"I need to tie them back down."  
"I'll help you. Here, just tell me if it's to tight." John pulled the first bandage around loosely.  
"You're going to have to tie it tighter." You felt him pull it tight, then continuing on. It almost hurt, but you kept quiet as John tied your wings down.  
"I'm done." John handed you your shirt. You pull it on before turning around, noticing how shaken up he looked.  
"You okay there John?" To this John shook his head no. "What's wrong?"  
"You shouldn't have to do that. It hurt you Dave, but I helped you anyway." John sound like he was on the verge of tears.  
"You know and I know I have to. Come on, we spent a lot of lunch in here." You opened the stall and headed back to the table. Rose and Jade gave you worried looks when you came back, Rose even put her book down.  
"So, are you alright?" Rose asked.  
"Feathers are just falling out. No reason, they just are."  
"Maybe your molting? Your feathers didn't seem to be permanent anyway. More like baby feathers." Jade added. If anyone knew, Jade would seeing how she seemed to love studying everything.  
"If that is the case, how am I supposed to explain to Bro why the apartment is full of feathers? I don't think just telling him would work."  
"Maybe school project? Say your building bird masks for the drama club for extra credit."  
"Actually, they do need bird masks for their next play, so if you need extra credit make some." Rose added.  
"Cool. Need the credit. What kind of masks?"  
"Any kind they can get."  
"Getting so much credit, you don't even know." The bell rang, and off you guys went, going to your classes.  
"Hey Strider!" A gravely voice called from behind you. You turn to see Karkat with his default grumpy expression. "What were you and John doing in the bathroom?"  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
Karkat's face went bright red. "You know what? Don't tell me, forget I asked!" You headed off to class, laughing at Karkat's expression.


End file.
